Purchase College vs. Chatham

Should I go to SUNY at Purchase College or Chatham University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Purchase College or Chatham is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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SUNY at Purchase College vs. Chatham University comparison
SUNY at Purchase College Chatham University College 3 College 4
SUNY at Purchase College Chatham University
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Overview

Purchase College Chatham
Location Purchase, NY Pittsburgh, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 3,182 2,387
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #319 #288
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website purchase.edu chatham.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Purchase College Chatham
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $40,625
Tuition (Out of State) $16,980 $40,625
Room & Board $14,948 $12,719
Avg Net Price $19,434 $28,322
Avg Grant Aid $10,312 $27,330
% Receiving Grant Aid 73% 100%

Admission

Purchase College Chatham
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,747 3,514
Admitted 4,292 2,331
Acceptance Rate 74.7% 66.3%
Enrolled % 16% 13.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.86
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 29/31 21/29
SAT Range 1190/1350 1060/1270
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jul 1, 2025

Academics

Purchase College Chatham
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (37%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)

Outcomes

Purchase College Chatham
Graduation Rate 56% 60%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,200 $36,700
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 62%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $232 $211

Diversity

Purchase College Chatham
% Men 42% 25%
% Women 58% 75%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 55% 72%
% Black 10% 10%
% Hispanic 18% 5%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 2% 3%
% Unknown Race 7% 5%

Students

Purchase College Chatham
% In-State 85% 70%
% Out-of-State 14% 26%

Campus

Purchase College Chatham
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • SUNY at Purchase College is larger than than Chatham based on total student enrollment (3,182 students vs. 2,387 students)

Purchase College vs. Chatham Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Purchase College or Chatham?

  • Chatham University is 474.6% more expensive to attend than Purchase College for in-state tuition ($40,625.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 139.3% higher at Chatham than SUNY at Purchase College ($40,625.00 vs. $16,980.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY at Purchase College than Chatham ($19,434 vs. $28,322)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Chatham University are 17.5% lower than costs at SUNY at Purchase College ($12,719 vs. $14,948)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Chatham University than SUNY at Purchase College (100% vs. 73%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Chatham University students is 165% larger than aid received SUNY at Purchase College ($27,330 vs. $10,312)

Purchase College vs. Chatham Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Purchase College or Chatham? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Chatham or Purchase College .

  • Accepted freshman Chatham students have a 0.49 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at Purchase College (3.37)
  • Purchase College has a higher acceptance rate (74.7%) than Chatham (66.3%)

Purchase College vs. Chatham Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Purchase College or Chatham? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Chatham and Purchase College.

  • The graduation rate at Chatham is higher than SUNY at Purchase College (60% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from SUNY at Purchase College earn on average $3,500 more per year than Chatham graduates after ten years. ($40,200 vs. $36,700)
  • Chatham University students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Purchase College graduates. ($20,500 vs. $22,500)
  • Chatham graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than Purchase College graduates. ($211 vs. $232)
  • More Purchase College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Chatham students, three years after graduation. (65% vs. 62%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/